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House Zahir
Equivocally known as the House of Ravens, the House of Vipers, the House of Snakes, and the House of Lies, House Zahir is one of the oldest and most established of the Great Noble Houses of Fastheld. Attractive, alluring, elegant, and as deadly as six drops of nightslider venom in a cup of herb tea, they are fond of politics and intrigue, and masters of the keeping - and strategic sharing - of secrets. They often dabble in trades that involve information, from bonded couriers to pamphleteering, and are often well versed in both lore and history, though such academic study is aimed more towards political advantage than scholarly interest. "Knowledge is power," is very much a motto that is in the hearts of minds of all who share Zahiran blood. Unlike other Noble Houses who are quite open with their loathing and spite for those who stand against them (particularly the Shadow-Touched), the Zahirs are keen to mask their enmity beneath a veneer of civility and solicitude; they keep their friends close, and their enemies closer, and very rarely state which is which openly. House Zahir's relationship with the Empire of Fastheld is an unusual one, with House Zahir's attitude towards politics having much in common with their personal relationships. They blow hot and cold - in equal measure - to keep other Noble Houses off guard, and may be close friends of another House one year, and dedicated to bringing that House to ruin the next. Personality Most Zahirs are sly and cunning by nature, weaned on intrigue and raised on subterfuge. Those who do not demonstrate an aptitude for duplicity and chicanery do not ascend very high within the Zahiran food chain, while those who go against the nature of the Zahir often become outcasts within their own House, related to some far corner of Zahir territory where they become as useless as House Zahir believes them to be. As loyal as they are treacherous, the Zahir are never the less dutiful and thorough in their actions, ceaselessly attacking any task as if it were an enemy, never stopping until the job is done. Suffice to say that there is very little within Fastheld that transpires without a Zahir knowing about it (and more often than not, having a hand in it), and though they may not as economically sound as other Houses, their powerbase and near immunity to scandal is at once both unique and adequate enough to keep House Zahir as a stable political power no matter what transpires. House Knights The Order of the Ebon Spurs is House Zahir's Noble Order of House Knights. They are known for their preference towards armor and weapons forged from the reflective-black metal known as obsidian, their tendency to opt for blunt weapons, and their specialization as unmounted Knights. House Knights of the Order of the Ebon Spurs are as severe as the Ravenguard that they command, though their attitudes towards chivalry and duty is nothing short of fastidious. Generally humorless when on active duty, the Ebon Spurs remain somewhat of an enigma for House Zahir - their honor is utterly spotless, and no House Knight has yet been caught doing anything less than honest work. The symbol of their order is a black thorned rose. House Guard Their House Guard are known as the Ravenguard, and are distinctive for the black banded-mail armor they wear, pauldrons lined with real raven feathers, and their fondness for polearm weapons as standard equipment. They are one of the more grim examples of House Guard, and have been known to turn a blind eye to criminal activities if it is in the interests of House Zahir to do so. However, when called to action, the Ravenguard are almost vicious in their attitude towards enforcement of the law, having little compassion for anyone who would dare break the Imperial Law within House Zahir's view (if House Zahir has no connections to it). Territory Their territorial span covers the eastern heartlands of the Empire, from Zahir Road in the south, the Imperial Throughfare in the east, the northern Shadow Wall in the north, and the Aegis in the east. They hold dominion over the townships of Hedgehem, Wildling Reach, The Fetters, Gate Town, and the city of Fanghill - the Zahir seat of power. Heraldry House Zahir is represented by a black bird (commonly depicted as a crow or a raven, though sometimes even an eagle) with a white border upon a quartered field of indigo and lavender. Naming Convention First names in House Zahir tend to be four or five letters long, usually two syllables, commonly featuring the sounds 'ay' or 'ol' or 'or' within the name. Examples: Aiden, Zolor, Goram, Nayla, Voreyn. Category:Book of the White Tree